AIR BASE KADENA OKINAWA, Japan -- Marine Aircraft Group 12 and Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 sponsored three orientation flights for three of the Marine Corps’ top commanding generals here June 17 and 20.
VMFA(AW)-242 pilots gave Maj. Gen. Peter J. Talleri, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler commanding general, Brig. Gen. Craig C. Crenshaw, 3rd Marine Logistics Group commanding general, and Maj. Gen. Mark A. Brilakis, 3rd Marine Division commanding general, the ride of their lives in the back seat of a F/A-18 Hornet jet to show them just what VMFA(AW)-242 aircraft can do.
Maj. Glen Savage, VMFA(AW)-242 pilot, flew with Talleri during his orientation flight in order to show Talleri some of the air tactics the Marines have been practicing the past few weeks.
"I felt with the capabilities and inventory we have as far as weapons systems, it is always best to get a great idea of what those capabilities are," said Talleri. "I learned a lot about what the Hornet does not only for our Marine Corps, but for our nation."
Crenshaw flew with VMFA(AW)-242 pilot, Capt. Ernesto Howard, and Brilakis flew with VMFA(AW)-242 pilot, Capt. Bijan Derakhshan.
It was the first time any of the generals have soared through the skies in the back seat of an F/A- 18 Hornet, an experience only few will have in their lifetime.
“There were some things we did up there that impressed me,” said Brilakis. “Every opportunity I get to spend with Marines is always a treat,” he added.
Col. Christopher Mahoney, MAG-12 commanding officer, and Lt. Gen. Kenneth J. Glueck, Jr., commanding general of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, arrived on deck to meet the generals on the ground as soon as they landed.
“It was truly a memorable experience,” said Brilakis. “One that I will not forget.”
The orientation flights were in the midst of the MAG-12 and Marine Aviation Weapons Squadron 1 sponsored Marine Divisions Tactics Course. MDTC is a graduate level course designed to provide F/A-18 Hornet aircrew and the Marine Air Intercept Controllers with training in a complex air-to-air environment.
Command-selected F/A-18 Hornet pilots and weapon systems operators from VMFA(AW) 533 and 225 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 314 and 232 participated in the first MDTC to be conducted outside of the continental U.S.
VMFA(AW)-242 came to Kadena to aid MAG-12 in its mission by acting as simulated emeny aggressors for various basic fighter maneuver training events.
“We came down here mainly to provide some spare aircraft to make sure all the events happened on time,” said Capt. Bijan Derakhshan, VMFA(AW)-242 pilot. “In case there were any maintenance delays, we had back-up aircraft ready to go flying.”
After the orientation flights, MAG-12 command elements gave the generals a tour of the work and maintenance spaces to show how all the Marines continued to successfully improve mission readiness during the training evolution.
“I had every confidence the Marines who maintain this gear and the pilots who fly the aircraft knew what they were doing,” said Brilakis.
MDTC students graduated from the course Tuesday.